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Title: Safety evaluation report related to the Department of Energy`s proposal for the irradiation of lead test assemblies containing tritium-producing burnable absorber rods in commercial light-water reactors. Project Number 697

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/491562· OSTI ID:491562

The NRC staff has reviewed a report, submitted by DOE to determine whether the use of a commercial light-water reactor (CLWR) to irradiate a limited number of tritium-producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs) in lead test assemblies (LTAs) raises generic issues involving an unreviewed safety question. The staff has prepared this safety evaluation to address the acceptability of these LTAs in accordance with the provision of 10 CFR 50.59 without NRC licensing action. As summarized in Section 10 of this safety evaluation, the staff has identified issues that require NRC review. The staff has also identified a number of areas in which an individual licensee undertaking irradiation of TPBAR LTAs will have to supplement the information in the DOE report before the staff can determine whether the proposed irradiation is acceptable at a particular facility. The staff concludes that a licensee undertaking irradiation of TPBAR LTAs in a CLWR will have to submit an application for amendment to its facility operating license before inserting the LTAs into the reactor.

Research Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Reactor Program Management
Sponsoring Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
491562
Report Number(s):
NUREG-1607; ON: TI97006629; TRN: 97:012478
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: May 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English